The Future Queen of Coleum
by KESwriter
Summary: The Doctor and Clara are sent to America to escort an alien to her home world to rule as queen. The problem, she's in love with a human named Spencer Reid and she doesn't want to leave him.
1. Chapter 1

I am worn-down and tired. I need something in my life. I don't know what, so I keep sending ideas into the ocean of FF and hope it makes me feel something. I have two trips in one month planned and I am a little all over the place to put it mildly. I hope you stick with me during this troubled time and I'll finally deliver some good, complete stories.

The Future Queen of Coleum

For Clara, it felt good to sleep in on a Saturday in her own bed in her own time period. The TARDIS beds were quite lovely, but she never knew when she'd be knocked out of it in the event of an alien trying to steal it or the Doctor accidently hitting a supernova. She stretched and slowly got out of bed, enjoying the peace of having nowhere to be and nothing to run from.

Then the sound of the cloister bell came. Clara sighed. So much for a lazy morning. The TARDIS appeared, and the Doctor opened the door.

"Come on Clara, we have an alien to escort home," he said.

"Well that's different," she said. "But I haven't gotten dressed yet."

"Well then get dressed and let's get going. We have a queen to transport."

She grabbed some clothes to get dressed in and washed up in bathroom. The Doctor was waiting impatiently.

"What's the hurry, you have a time machine!" she said.

"I'm a little nervous about transporting royalty is all. If I screw this up, the Colians could eat both my hearts in a single bite."

"So why are you doing this favor for them to begin with?" she asked as she stepped inside.

"There was a war there recently and they have lost much of their transport technology. Restoring their queen seems like the right thing to do."

"So where are we going?" she asked as he entered the coordinates.

"A place called Quantico in America," he said. "In Colian culture, their queen must be sent to an uncultured world to learn humility before taking the crown. They must become when one of them biologically and then die as one of them before an envoy is sent to bring the queen home for a lavish ceremony."

"So, what does her alien form look like?" Clara asked.

"It'll be a surprise," the Doctor said with a glimmer of humor.

"You know I don't like surprises," she said.

"Which will make this one all the more grand."

Clara made a face. This version of the Doctor liked to challenge her more. It kept her on her toes more and even as she got to know him better.

"We're here," he said.

They were in what looked like a vacant lot in the middle of the night. After checking to see no one was around, they left and walked down the street. The doctor stopped in front of a building labeled "morgue."

The Doctor then waved his credentials in front of a security guard.

"My assistant," he said pointing to Clara.

The guard waved them in without a word and returned to looking at his phone.

The Doctor seemed to know where he was going and led her through the halls. They went down a flight of stairs. The smell then hit her.

"And I thought catacombs were terrible," she said.

"Remind me never to take you the land of Ev then, beautiful flora, but the smell has made previous associates of mine pass out," he said.

He used the sonic screw driver to open a lock on a door.

It had a dozen slots, only three were currently occupied.

"Look for a Maeve Donovan," he said.

Clara found it first and opened the door. She pulled it open and then screamed.

It was woman around her age. The serene look on her face did nothing to distract her from the fact that there was a bullet wound where part of the right side of her head should be. Clara thought she could even see some brain matter. It made her sick.

"Where is she?" Clara asked desperately. "Where is she so we can get her out and get out of here?"

The Doctor waved his sonic screw driver over her heart.

"Oh, Alhandrexa Da Avtian a Harbrin please come forth to ascend to the throne."

A purple diamond bloomed out of the heart. It grew further and developed a head with two amber eyes and a mouth made of sapphire lips. Two arms and four legs grew out that fell on to the floor with a _clank_ sound.

She smiled at Clara.

"I know you must be scared, but there is no need," she said in a tone that sounded musical. "I mean you no harm."

"I know," Clara said. "It is an honor to meet you, your highness."

She smiled. "I am not queen yet, call me Drexa."

"Okay, Drexa," Clara said.

Drexa turned to the Doctor.

"I know why you're here Timelord," she said respectfully. "But first can you take me to see a man? I just want to observe him one last time."

"Certainly, your future highness," he said. "Where to?"

"Capital Plaza Apartments."


	2. Chapter 2

I hope you enjoy this. Happy Halloween!

Chapter Two:

The Tardis hovered at the top of Capital Plaza Apartments. Through viewing screen, they could peak into the window. At Drexa's request, the Doctor magnified it. Inside was a man covered in tissues curled up in fetal position, shaking. He had a mop of hair and his eyes were red.

"He looks so sad," Drexa said.

"Was he your boyfriend?" Clara asked gently.

"In a sense," she said. "But in other ways he meant so much more to me what you humans define as a relationship."

The man in the apartment continued to rock. Clara had never seen a more heartbreaking site.

"I can't do this," Drexa declared. She began to move to the door.

The Doctor stepped in front of her.

"Your future highness, you don't know how he'll react. Wouldn't you rather preserve the memories you have of him as they are?"

"He watched me get shot," Drexa said forcefully. "Let me pass, Timelord."

How about I move the TARDIS into his home?" the Doctor offered.

"And no place else," Drexa said with an air of authority.

Clara was positively nervous. Drexa seemed kind, but there was edge to her.

The Doctor pulled a lever and they appeared inside the apartment. Drexa swiftly marched to the door.

"For the record I don't think this is a good idea!" the Doctor shouted.

She turned briefly at the door. "Noted," she said and left.

The Doctor waved Clara forward.

"Come on."

Clara didn't need to be told twice. She quickly followed him.

The man curled up on the couch was staring at Drexa. She was radiating a slight purple glow and smiling.

"It's me, Dr. Joseph Bell," she said sweetly.

"Maeve?" he said. "No, I'm dreaming. I'm hallucinating. There must be a gas leak."

Drexa leaned down and touched his cheek. A flash of purple came across his eyes.

"Telepathic communication," the Doctor said into Clara's ear. "Colians perform it through touch."

Fresh tears dripped down his face. "Maeve," he said.

He stood up and hugged her.

"I don't want to leave you, Spencer," she said.

"I don't want you to leave either," Spencer said between hiccups.

"Come with me," she said.

"What?" Spencer said shocked. "I can't."

"Why not?" she said. "You'd be a guest of mine. We could adopt children, and I can show you how the art of Colian intimacy far exceeds what you humans experience."

He sniffled again. "I hated the idea of going on without. Now I have the chance to live with you. I say yes."

"Wait," the Doctor said stepping towards them. "Spencer, you're grieving. Moving on to another galaxy and another planet is something completely different."

"I know, and it is what I want," he said. "Maeve completes me. Without her there is no love in my life."

The Doctor glanced at Clara. It was her turn.

"I lost my boyfriend not too long ago," she said as she stepped forward. "I didn't know how to move on but eventually, I realized that Danny would have wanted me to live my life to the fullest. The pain remains, but the joy does too, and that cancels out some of the pain."

"But I have a chance to move on with my girlfriend," he argued. "I choose to be with her in whatever form she might be in. You would do the same, I bet."

"Drexa is not Maeve, Spencer," the Doctor said. "She's an alien who was trapped in a human body to learn. Maeve is only part of who she is."

"Maeve is the only part of me I care about," Drexa said. "Now take us home."

"Speaking of home, how will your people react to you bringing a human home?" the Doctor asked.

"It matters not, as I will be their queen and my words are law," she said. "Take us home."

"Very well, your future highness," the Doctor said. He snapped his fingers and the TARDIS doors opened.

"Do you wish to bring anything with you?" Drexa asked. "You need not worry about garments or food. Those will be provided for you."

Spencer pulled out a messenger bag and put some pictures and books in it. He also threw in a purple scarf.

Drexa led the way back into the TARDIS. Spencer followed.

"This is marvelous technology!" he exclaimed.

"That's a nice different comment," the Doctor said.

Clara approached him. "Doctor, we're not going to let Spencer live on Colia, are we?"

The Doctor didn't say anything. He looked lost in thought.

"Doctor!" Clara said.

"When you've lived as long as I have Clara, you can read the story of emotions in a setting. I can't tell you what the future is, but I can say that only further misfortune is destined to happen here in this location."

"So, he should move to another planet and away from his friends and family?" Clara asked.

"Doctor!" Drexa called.

The Doctor rushed passed her.

"That's not an answer," Clara said mostly to herself and entered the TARDIS.


	3. Chapter 3

I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Three:

"The air as you know it cleaner here," Drexa said. "There are other elements in it, but they are not harmful to your body."

"Wow, that is fascinating," Spencer said. "So, what happens next?"

"An elaborate ceremony where I will be painted and presented gifts from…"

The journey was nearly over, so Clara walked away from the pair to see what the Doctor was looking at on the monitor. When he noticed her approaching, he quickly sonicked the screen blank.

"What were you looking at?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said.

"Nothing you wanted me to see!" she said.

"You don't need to know everything!" he said. "A little knowledge is dangerous for you humans."

"The same goes for to Timelords!" Clara said.

"Enough, you two!" Drexa said as she approached them. "What is this about?"

"The Doctor is hiding something," Clara said.

"I am not," he said.

"Is it relevant to my coronation and Spencer's installation as my consort?" Drexa asked.

"No," he said firmly.

"Then let the Doctor have his secrets, and let us be on our way," Drexa said.

Clara stared at the Doctor until he was forced to look away. He busied himself with the TARDIS console. She sighed. The Doctor was lying because the Doctor lies. She wondered what he was looking at.

"We're here," he announced.

He put up a picture of Coleum. Spencer and Clara gasped. It was a truly stunning planet. It was more egg-shaped than round. It had rock formations of every color dotting the surface. What looked like water streamed across the surface in the form of faint lines that looked like rivers.

The was a clinking sound. Spencer and Clara turned around. Green emeralds were pouring out from Drexa's eyes.

"My home," she said.

Spencer rushed to her. They embraced.

"Doctor," a voice said.

They turned to see a man on the screen who looked to be made of an opal.

"We have been made aware of presence and are sending you arrival coordinates. Please follow them the decimal point."

"Yes, sir," the Doctor said.

The transmission ended, and the Doctor started plugging in numbers.

There was a slight tremor, and the TARDIS landed.

Drexa looked to the Doctor.

"Royalty first," he said. "Your people await you."

She took a few steps and then suddenly grabbed Spencer's hand.

He hugged her again. "I'll be right behind you."

She walked to the entrance and opened the door. They could hear cries of joy and jubilation. Drexa stuck her head back in.

"Spencer, come," she said eagerly.

The Doctor and Clara turned to stare to each other.

"Look I know you think I'm crazy," he said steadily.

"Crazier than usual," she said.

"But I am doing this man a favor by letting him live with Drexa," he said.

"Based on what?" she asked. "Based on what you were looking at on that screen?"

"The man is going to be falsely imprisoned!" the Doctor shouted. "He's going to be mentally and physically tortured while there. Before that he's going to be shot. After that he's going to find out his mother who has schizophrenia, is going to develop early-onset dementia. He's not going to live a happy life if I were to take him back!"

"Since do we get to choose who escapes their fate?" Clara asked. "When did _you_ decide to play God?"

The door slammed shut. Spencer appeared.

"I decide my fate," he said and turned to the Doctor. "Is it true, my mother is going to develop dementia while I'm imprisoned?"

"It's a long story," the Doctor said. "You were trying to help her but ended up falsely imprisoned."

"Then let her remember me as I am," he said. "I choose Maeve. I choose Coleum."

"Spencer, your grieving!" Clara cried. "You're not thinking clearly. What about your friends and your family."

"They'll miss me, but they will recover. I don't think I'll ever recover from losing Maeve."

"You say that now, but you don't know what will happen next."

"I know I don't want the life waiting for me at home," he said.

He turned to the Doctor again. "Thank you, for bringing Maeve to me. Would you like to attend the coronation?"

"A Colian coronation? It would truly be an honor," the Doctor said.

"No!" Clara shouted. She rushed around the console looking for the transport lever.

The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver and the TARDIS powered down completely.

"We have a coronation to attend," he said simply.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the support. Be brave and review! Except no flames pleases.

Chapter Four:

Clara liked to think she was reasonably smart. Not as smart as Spencer Reid, but not dumb either. So, when it was decided that Spencer would stay with Drexa in Coleum, Clara knew the discussion was over. When the TARDIS lights went out and was set to low energy, she knew she had to give up or face some unpleasant consequences. Sometimes there were things she couldn't control, and this was one of them.

That didn't stop her from keeping a chilly distance from the Doctor though. He pretended that it didn't bother him, but she could tell it did. They were at an impasse in this situation and Clara refused to give in.

So, they stood a distance from one another in the stands with other Colian royalty assembled by the cave that Spencer was about to enter. While he was welcomed by the Colians, it was decided he must undergo "Crystal Transformation" to become more like them. Spencer readily agreed to it and welcomed the opportunity to connect better connect to Drexa.

Wearing nothing but a gold robe, Spencer stood awkwardly and waved at Drexa. A priest who looked to be carved from onyx dressed in silver, murmured a prayer Clara couldn't hear and then Spencer turned around. The priest then pulled off the robe and he walked into the darkness of the cave.

The priest then addressed the group.

"The process should take one hour. He will emerge when he is ready. In the meantime, let us reflect upon our hopes and dreams for the future of our beautiful planet, now that our queen has returned to take her throne."

Out of the corner of her eye, Clara could see the Doctor was already fidgeting. He hated waiting and an hour would feel like an eternity to him. This amused her. If she was going to be unhappy, he might as well join in on the misery.

The other Colians sat and meditated while the Doctor paced. Clara watched and admired the beautiful colors of the Colians. Drexa looked anxious and paced around the cave entrance. Waiting wasn't fun, but it was necessary.

Then he emerged. Aquamarine. He was covered from head to toe in aquamarine crystals, Spencer looked like the color of the ocean.

The priest offered him the robe, but he shook his head and rushed to Drexa. Their bodies intertwined and they both lit up so vibrantly, those watching had to look away.

Eventually they let go and both were in tears. Spencer's were still like water but Drexa's were emeralds. She turned and addressed the group.

"Spencer is one of us now!" she declared.

The priest stepped forward. "As one of us he must now select a Colian name. He may pick one or we will give him one."

"I have decided on one," Spencer said. "After conferring with Drexa, I choose Encio."

"Very well, Encio, you are now formally a Colian and may marry the queen after the coronation."

"What a happy day it will be," Spencer said.

"Indeed, it will," Drexa said.

Clara's mind was racing. She had to do something… or nothing. He seemed so happy. Why should she ruin it for Spencer and Drexa? His friends will move on and as sad as it is, his mother would forget him. Maybe the Doctor was right. Maybe a little interference wouldn't hurt a thing?

"Steal the TARDIS."

Clara turned around to see a brown-haired teenage girl dressed as a beauty contestant complete with a numbered sash and blue sequin gown.

"Who are you?" Clara asked.

"I have message from the year twenty sixty-two. Steal the TARDIS."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because the fate of the world depends on it. Steal the TARDIS."

"Are you a time lord?" she asked.

The girl smirked. "I can jump realities in ways he can't. Now steal the TARDIS. There isn't time to explain."

"Where is the message from?" Clara asked.

"His wife," she said and with a zapping sound, she was gone.

"Which wife?" she asked to the now vacant spot.


	5. Chapter 5

I hope you enjoy this. Be brave and review!

Chapter Five:

Clara was fairly positive no one had ever faced the following question: Should she listen to the teenage beauty queen contestant and steal the TARDIS? The answer was simple for her as it was what she had wanted to do all along. The young woman's input only solidified her resolve.

She ran to catch up with the Doctor.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he said back with little amusement.

"Sorry," she said.

"It's okay," he said. "I know this is different from how we usually operate. But I think Spencer will be happy here."

"No," she said. "Sorry for this."

Clara punched him in the face hard. Knocking him off balance, she opened his coat and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and glasses. After putting on his glasses, she began to run.

"Stop her!" the Doctor shouted.

It was a good thing she was good at running, because the guards were fast. She ran into the court yard where the TARDIS was and unlocked it through the glasses. A spear hit the door, seconds after she closed it.

She waved the sonic screw driver and the TARDIS came to life. The sides of the TARDIS began to rattle.

"Okay," she said. "I can do this."

She looked at the monitor through the sunglass.

"Enter last known coordinates."

A picture of the earth appeared. It magnified to Washington DC.

"Clara!" the Doctor shouted.

"Sorry," she said to herself. "This is a solo trip."

She flipped the switch and the TARDIS was in motion.

The last trip was about ten minutes long, so this gave her time to look up who Spencer Reid was. She returned the monitor.

"View search history," she said and the pulled off the sunglasses to read.

Spencer Reid was a hero. He saved lives regularly while working as a special agent for the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI. Shot multiple and exposed to a deadly virus, he survived using his intelligence and marksmanship skills.

The sad thing was that he had little family. A father who abandoned him when he was young and a mother he had admitted to a psychiatric facility. But he had god children. Two with one agent and another one with a different agent. The pictures that came up through the Doctor's database showed that he was well-loved by his team.

Clara tried to scan further into the database, but every time she tried to scroll past two thousand sixteen the screen glitched. It was as though time was flux at that moment and it might well be.

The screen changed to the coordinates for Washington DC. This meant she was there. What Clara would do while there, was hard to describe but she had a feeling that was where she needed to be.

She opened the door and found a blond woman who looked vaguely familiar sitting on the couch with a gun aimed at her.

Clara raised her hands.

"I come in peace," she said, trying to sound calm.

"Where's my friend?" she asked.

"That has a complicated answer that I can better explain without a gun aimed at me."

The woman shot her in the arm.

"OW!" Clara screamed and crumpled to the ground.

"So, you are real," she said with a hiccup as she stood.

Clara forced herself to focus despite the pain. "You're J.J." she said.

"Jennifer," she said. "I only go by Jennifer now."

J.J.'s hair was unkempt, her white blouse had stains on it and she had bloodshot eyes. She looked nothing like the kind mother figure she'd seen in the photos.

The pain was starting to get to her. "Please," Clara moaned. "I need medical help."

"Tell me where Spencer is," she said leaning over her.

"He's on a planet called Coleum," she said gasping for breath. "Where he is going to marry an alien princess you knew as Maeve when she lived here as a human."

She stared her.

"Please don't shoot me again for proof I'm real," she said. "I'm about to pass out. Do you believe me?"

J.J. was still staring at her when she lost consciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

I hope you enjoy this. Reviews are welcome except flames!

Chapter Six:

Clara could hear voices talking above her.

"So, you saw her emerge from that blue box and shot her?" a male voice said.

"I had to see if she was real," J.J. said defensively.

"I can't believe you still have a gun."

"It's my off-duty weapon!" she said. "I have a permit."

"When's the last time you were fully sober Jennifer?"

"What does that have to do with anything? We have a lead on where Spencer is!"

"She was losing blood fast. She probably wasn't making much sense."

"But come on Morgan! You were in the box! It's alien technology! She could be an alien too."

"No," Clara said as she slowly opened her eyes to see Morgan and J.J. staring down at her. "I'm human."

"Do you have a name?" Morgan asked. "My friend forgot to ask before shooting you."

Clara looked at her arm. Her shirt sleeve had been cut off and the wound had been bandaged.

"I really liked this top," she said.

"What is your name?" J.J. impatiently.

"Clara Oswald," she said. "And since when do you go by Jennifer instead of J.J.? You're J.J. in all the files I've read."

"How do you know about me?" J.J. asked.

"I read a file about you on the Doctor's version of the internet. It has much more information than the standard World Wide Web, though it can be a little glitchy."

"What doctor?" Morgan asked.

"The Doctor I stole the TARDIS-blue box from," she said. "Speaking of doctors, who patched me up? I know neither of you are doctors."

"My neighbor owed me a favor for fixing her door," he said.

"Tell us more about Spencer," J.J. prompted.

"He's quite happy where he is," Clara said. "He's destined to be the consort of a queen on an alien planet."

Morgan sighed. "You've got to be kidding me," he said.

"I thought the blue box that's bigger on the inside might be a hint that I don't kid. Did you touch anything?"

"Nothing worked," J.J. said. "It was like the power was off."

"It's in guard mode," she said. "It must have sensed you were interlopers."

"I can't believe I'm asking this, but is the blue box an alien?" Morgan asked.

"No, but it does have a mind of its own at times," she said.

Morgan sighed. "This is unreal."

"Is what you said about Spencer marrying an alien who used to be Maeve true?" J.J. asked.

"Yes, it is," Clara said.

"Why did you come here?" Morgan asked.

"With the fuzzy idea of taking you to see him and convince him to come home."

"You want to take us into space?" J.J. asked dubiously.

"Why don't you want to be called J.J. anymore?" Clara asked.

"Why does it matter?"

"Entertain me."

J.J. sighed. "Because that is what Spencer liked to call me. I couldn't stand not hearing him say my name anymore, so I switched to being called Jennifer."

"So, wait, what year is this?" Clara asked.

"Two thousand sixteen," Morgan said.

"The TARDIS must have chosen this year for a reason. J.J.-Jennifer, do you have two kids?"

"No," J.J. said. "I've been divorced for two and a half years."

Clara turned to Morgan. "Are you married?"

"No," he said. "I have no time to date."

"Tell me what happened the night Spencer disappeared," she said.

They merely stared at her.

"It's important that I understand how the timeline changed after Spencer left. Please, I'm not a spy. Just a concerned person."

They exchanged a look.

"Nothing about his disappearance made sense," J.J. said. "There were empty slots on his bookshelf and photos were missing along with his messenger bag, but no clothes were taken except a purple scarf."

"Drexa-Maeve said he wouldn't need any clothes," Clara said.

"There was no activity on any of his bank accounts and his car was still where he parked it," Morgan said.

"It drove me mad," J.J. said. "We looked everywhere we could think. We even managed to hunt down Jason Gideon and he didn't know anything."

"Hotch said we had to move on," Morgan said. "He said if Reid wanted to be found he would have let himself be found."

"I couldn't let it go," J.J. said. "I moved into the apartment full-time after he left. Waiting and hoping, he'd come back one day to claim it."

"Some of us had started to believe that he had committed suicide," Morgan said. "Which caused a major rift in the team. Hotch couldn't take the bickering anymore and applied for a promotion. A woman named Penelope Garcia moved with her boyfriend to Karachi. I don't know half the team nearly as well as when Spencer Reid was around."

"So, Spencer was the heart of the team," Clara said.

"What were you saying about me having another son?" J.J. asked.

"And you made it sound like I was married," Morgan said.

"Morgan, you're married with a son by now and Jennifer you had a son a year earlier. You appointed Spencer to be their god father."

They stared at her.

"What else about the future do you know?" J.J. asked slowly.

"The stuff that the Doctor focused on. That Spencer would be shot, wrongfully imprisoned, and his mother would develop dementia."

"His mother does have dementia," J.J. said. "Rossi pays for her medical bills."

"Maybe he's better off where he is," Morgan said.

"But wait," Clara said urgently. "You two have children than aren't here because Spencer isn't here."

"As much as I'd love another child, I want Spencer to be happy," J.J. said.

Clara sighed and closed her eyes. This was going to be harder than she thought.


	7. Chapter 7

I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Seven:

Clara never in her life felt more like the Doctor than she did in that moment. She knew what the right thing to do was, yet no one else could see it. It was time to take drastic measures.

She slowly stood up and grabbed the gun that had been carelessly left on an end table.

"Get in the TARDIS," she said to Morgan and J.J.

"You're crazy," Morgan said.

Clara pulled off the safety of the gun like they did in the movies and shot the gun into the ceiling.

"Crazy serious," she said. "Get in! Or I'll aim for something soft like a pillow, or a person."

J.J. raised her hands slightly.

"Okay, you win. We'll go with you."

She nudged them forward into the TARDIS. Once everyone was in, Clara put the safety back on, and threw the gun out.

"I hate guns," she said.

"But you just threatened us with one," Morgan said.

Clara ignored him.

They awkwardly stood around the console.

"Try not to touch anything," Clara said as she pulled up the previous coordinates. "I've only piloted this thing solo a couple times."

"So, this ship-TARDIS doesn't belong to you?" J.J. asked.

"It belongs to the Doctor, a time traveling alien who looks human except with two hearts," she said.

"How did you end up meeting Reid anyway?" Morgan asked. "What is the whole story?"

"Well, I was enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning when the Doctor popped in and said we had a queen to escort back to her home planet. She died a human as part of a ritual where she had to learn humility from an uncultured planet. So, the next I know, I'm opening a drawer in the morgue and finding the remains of Maeve Donovan with part of her head missing. The Doctor waves his sonic screwdriver, and out emerges and alien."

"What does she look like in her alien form?" J.J. asked.

"I won't ruin the surprise. The she asks that we visit Spencer's apartment and then demands that we enter it. Maeve then connects with Spencer and he recognizes her in her new form and agrees to come with her to Coleum."

"So?" Morgan said. "He went on his own accord. Why should we try to stop him?"

"Because, he doesn't belong on Coleum!" Clara said impatiently. "He was the heart of your team. Who knows how many people also died because he wasn't there?"

"It doesn't matter if it means Spencer is happy," J.J. said.

Clara stared at J.J. "You're a mess. You need Spencer in your life."

J.J. glared back at her. "I'll clean up my act! Knowing Spence is finally at peace will bring me peace. I'll get better!"

She looked at the screen.

"We're here," she said. "You two go out first, they might try to shoot at me if they see my face first."

"We're not going to change his mind," Morgan said. "We're here to say goodbye and wish him well."

Clara sighed. "Fine, just go."

Morgan opened the door and J.J. followed behind. Clara just stood and stared at the screen showing numbers. It all felt so useless. She wished she had stayed in bed.

"Clara!"

She looked to see the Doctor at the entrance.

"Hey," she said.

"You didn't do a bad job flying her here," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "Are you mad at me?"

"You left me on a planet of highly civilized aliens, you could have done worse. And they weren't throwing spears at me for once."

She smiled and approached him. "Being you isn't easy," she said.

"Which is why only one person should try to be me," he said gently.

"His friends get to formally say goodbye, to him at least," she said. "I couldn't change the future, but I managed to get them all some closure."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," the Doctor said. "Follow me."

They left the Tardis and found Reid with his friends. Fine gold dust was dripping from his eyes.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Love has many meanings and definitions on different planets. Reid's biology is adapting closer to the environment. Tears of different stones have different meanings here. Drexa's tears took that form as they were tears of joy. Gold here, is a symbol of mourning."

There was a subtle flash and suddenly Clara was the on the ground in unbearable pain. Something had jutted into her abdomen.

"YOU!" Drexa's voice thundered. "You did this! He can't marry me when he is in mourning. Now the Doctor's is going to know what is like to mourn you!"


End file.
